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Marin Alsop on ART BEAT, Airs April 7

This year the Eugene Symphony celebrates its 45th season — and the return of its most celebrated conductor. Marin Alsop is the world-renowned music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. But in 1989 a young Marin held the reins of the Eugene Symphony. OREGON ART BEAT on April 7 at 8pm is a tale of three women dedicated to an orchestra. One is new — Sarah Viens, principal trumpet; one has been on board since the beginning — Sharron Smith who plays the first violin sectionb; and one is famous — Marin Alsop who became the first woman to conduct a major orchestra. Alsop returns to Eugene to guest conduct and remember, along with the rest of the musicians, the value of a small city orchestra.

Vancouver’s Maria Wickwire was a classroom teacher who had never touched clay before a visiting artist brought some in for her students. Now, she’s a professional ceramic artist, creating sculptures that explore the archetypal experiences of women.

There’s a lot to absorb when you look at a Trude Parkinson painting — more than immediately meets the eye. Turn her paintings over and you find a collage. Her visual/verbal combinations occasionally relate to each other, but Parkinson cautions not to try too hard to find a meaning in her works.

You can watch entire ART BEAT broadcasts at watch.opb.org. Video of the stories featured on ART BEAT can be viewed online immediately following the broadcast at opb.org/programs/artbeat.

Check out the ART BEAT blog at blogs.opb.org/artful/ and join us on facebook at facebook.com/OregonArtBeat.

About OREGON ART BEAT

OREGON ART BEAT, Oregon Public Broadcasting’s Emmy-Award winning local arts series, is in its 12th season. ART BEAT profiles Northwest artists, musicians and artisans — from an operatic baritone to a bit-and-spur craftsman to everything in between. The program airs Thursdays at 8pm and Sundays at 1am and 6pm. In the Mountain Time Zone of Eastern Oregon, the program airs at 9pm Thursdays and repeats at 7pm on Sundays. Funding for OREGON ART BEAT is provided in part by James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation and the Kinsman Foundation. More information is available online at opb.org/artbeat.

About OPB

OPB is the largest cultural and education institution in the region, delivering excellence in broadcasting to more than 1.5 million people each week through television, radio and the Internet. Recognized as a national leader in public broadcasting, OPB is a major contributor to the program schedule that serves the entire country. OPB is one of the most used and most supported public broadcasting services in the country with more than 120,000 contributors.